Jîiâsëd the frontior of the confederation, |nay bo subsequently convoyed through

nut its whole extont without lot or hin- drance. The industry of each state, instead of being forced to find a market .within its own territory, enjoys access to the wider and more profitable markets phich the -whole territories of tho league afford. -A- larger revenue, too, has been secured at a less cost ; for hundreds of custom-houses have been suppressed, .and thousands of customs officers have jjcen compelled to employ themselves in industries more profitable to the com- munity.

?^\e -machinery by which the Zoll- verein ita managed is very simple and .easy of uJ-.'^ttion. An assembly of re prcsentatrv-es from the allied states takes placo annually, to hear complaints, ad- just difficulties, and modify the cus- toms law as may bo necessary. All the .duties collected aro paid into a common {und, and distributed at stated intervals among the several states, in proportion io the population of each; a certain ?charge having first been deducted for Hie cost oí collection. The tariff adopted in the first instance was Almost identical with that previously in force in Prussia, but this has undergone considerable modification. ¡Provision is made in the treaty itself for any change in the tariff or hi any of ita clauses, but no such Change can be made, except by the unanimous consent of the contracting yarties. The only exception to the complete commercial freedom which the rfcreaty secures ia in the case of such goods as constitute a state monopoly, such as salt in Prussia ; or which are .subject to an excise duty in one state different from that of another; or articles produced under patents which confer on the patentees certaiii privileges in the State granting the patents.

The admiration oven of the Govern- ment of the United States has been excited by the simplicity and success of the Zollverein. In a work, entitled Digest of C'wioms Laws, printed by order of the House of Representatives, this tribute is paid to it :-" Its efforts " cannot fail to promote commerce and " every other branch of industry, as it * removes all those Vexatious and end " less difficulties which previously ob- structed the freedom of intercourse. " Navigable rivers and highways are " now opened to the unfettered use of 0 tho German people ; the custom, and " toll houses, with their officers and "harriers, have been withdrawn from " the interior, and the whole inter " communication resembles that of the

" subjects of any one of the stateswithin " its own territories, Tothesebenefitsmay " be added the assured prospect of im "piovement in the finances of the great 11 and smaller sovereignties composing the " league. This' advantage will grow out ?" of the simplicity or unity of the new " system, a saving in the cost of collec ?" tion, and from the increased consump " tion which renovated industry and pro " gressive prosperityso invariablycause." Nor has the admiration of the American Government for the German customs

union confined itself to mero panegyric. On tho termination of the Keprocity "Treaty in 18G6, tho United States pro- posed to enter into a union with Canada, formed upon the model of the Zoll- verein, But to this the Canadians

could not assent. Their obligations io the mother country and the rest of the British empire would not permit ihem to tax [British goods entering their province while American goods were exempt; and this, of course, would have been the effect of such an arrange- ment. The Reciprocity Treaty was iheoietically objectionable on the same ground, but it related to goods which Main could not send to Canada; while under a customs union all goods of American manufacture would bo free, while similar goods from Britain would he taxed. But no such objection as this can lio against an Australian Zollverein. It would be a union of different parts of the same empire, to protect all the mem hen of it against the cost and vexation of isolation ; and although tho evils

which these colonies now suffer from the want of such a union are small in com- parison with those formerly endured in Geimany, yet they are of the same kind, and aro only to be dealt with and over

?come in a similar manner.

^Ye have already admitted that Mr. 'GUAM'S extension of the 42nd section of tho Amending Land Act, illegal though it is, has promoted settlement of a desirable and advantageous kind, like every other land scheme that has leen in operation in the colony since the days of auction pure and simple, its

effects-so far as it has been tried

have proved partly good and partly fcad ; but it seems to us that tho evils of the system are not inherent in it, lut arise from the manner of its admi »istiation. If it is to be continued, even for a few months longer, it is highly desirable that a remedy for its

defects should be at once devised.

^Yhcn Parliament meets the whole sub- ject will, no doubt, come under discus- sion ; and if the principle of the iîrxà section is then adopted as the basis of another amending land act, legal sanc- tion will be given to the system now actually in force, and our chief objec- tion to it will be removed.

But a better mode of working the scheme should be adopted at once, that Mr. GRANT'S favours may be distributed m a less partial and capricious manner. We have before us abundant proof that tho enlargement of the areas to be let under liconce has intensified the injustice of that arbitrary and irresponsible ad ministiation of the 42nd clause which w<¡ have so often had occasion

to¡ (-.iticfomn. It is not that we £A a-i. M^. GHANT, or the commissioners «horn ho appoints to carry out the Bekctn i,s, of-intentional injustice. Of that wo are willing to believe them not °nly innocent, but incapable. But these commissioners either act in total ignor- ance of the people whose claims they have to decide upon, or under the dicta- tion of a member for the district, who is generally very far from being a disinterested adviser. Even if he does not traffic in land for his own gain, «e will have friends to serve among the applicants, and opponents to serve out, tod hoisconsequently a very unsafoguide

to the commissioners. And when they aro left wholly to their own discretion, a new danger besets them. Performing their duties in the midst of a crowd, thoy are subjected to a kind of intimida- tion which it is difficult altogether to disregard, and to an urgency of solicita- tion that it is not easy to resist. As successive applicants come forward to be examined, the crowd freely criticise them and their affairs, and give audible expression to their hopes or fears in regard to the result of each application. If a would-be selector is a known resident in the locality in which the selections aro made, and notoriously or obviously poor, he has the full support of the popular voice, and the commissioners feel that they are doing a virtuous action when they admit his claim, On the other hand, if he is a stranger, and presents outward and visible signs of poverty, he is de- nounced as a dummy, and boo-hoo'd to such an extent that the harassed com- missioners are afraid to look at him. A clean applicant, with decent clothes to his back, whether a resident of the locality or a stranger from a distance, has but a poor chance, unless the com- missioners happen to be unusually in- different to the consure or applause of the mob amidst which they transact their business. A paragraph that appeared in tho Geelong Advertiser a few days since, descriptive of the recent selections at Ondit, exposes some of the evils of the system. Our contemporary says :

"The working of the clause gives great satisfaction to many, especially those who, from theirjdlencss or through dissipation, havo hitherto beon unable to savo a little money to purchase a picco of land for themselves, Tho men who have squandered their earn- ings in riotous and disorderly living have tho ad\antage over thoso who, by industry and sobriety, have been able to purchase small farms for themselves, as tho application of a man with no land is almost invariably granted before that of a man with land, no matter how small that piece of land may be. Character is no object ; tho applicant is merely asked a few questions, and no matter how great a scamp he may be, he says he is a good boy, ond his neighbours not liking to object, the land commissioner is bound to believe him. This is Mr. Grant's method of settling the people on tho land, and on tho principle that 'rolling-stonesgather no moss,' ¡tis only fair to assume that in a few years these 'good boys, ' having had the improvements on their .selections effected by somo of their richer neighbours, will roll away to prey upon some other industrious community."

Other evidence to the -same effect has

already appeared in our columns, and more of a similar kind could readily be adduced if necessary. But we think it

has already been sufficiently proved, that poverty is made one of the prin- cipal tests of the selectors' bona fides. Under Mr. GRANT'S system, to bo poor is to be honest and virtuous, and the reward of virtue is an allotment of land, from twenty acres upwards. Whether the largest farms are always given to the poorest applicants, we have not heard-probably not, since it is always difficult to carry out to their

full extent even the wisest and most beneficent of rules. But if it were so, the fortunate selector might experience some littlo practical difficulty in consequence of the abound- ing poverty which had procured him his farm. For instanco, how could he effect improvements on it, or occupy it with any advantage to himself or the state 1 But these questions open up another and a wider field of inquiry, which we will not now attempt to explore. Our present object is to point out the ab- surdity of distributing the public estate in piesence of a greedy crowd, by whoso clamour the presiding commissioners

cannot fail to be influenced to some ex- tent, and to recommend that some other Bystem, more consonant with common sense and business usages, shall bo con- trived before the next selections take place. Even if no actual injustice arose from the present system, which it is impossible to believe, it is not only undig- nified, but also indecent, to administer an important Government department at ill-regulated public meetings, and to subject important public functionaries to the insult of popular reprobation when their acts fail to meet with the general approval, or the still greater insult of applause when tho contrary is the case.

A large muster of the clergy and laity of the Catholic Church took placo yesterday morning at St. Patrick's Cathedral, to accord a welcome to the Right Eev. Bishop Goold, D.D., on his return to the diocese. Tho children of the various Roman Catholic schools in and around town were also pre- sent. The address of welcome from the clergy and laity was read by Mr, O'shanassy, and tho bishop mado a short speech in reply, expressive of his thankfulness for tho kindly reception he had experienced on his return.

Colonel Gore Browne, who retires from the Governorship of Tasmania in favour of Mr. Du Cane, proceeds to England by the fine ship Holmsdale, a suite of cabins having been secured for His ExcoUency and Mrs. Browne and family. It is probable that Cap- tain Stewart, A.D.C, will also proceed to London by the Holmsdale.

The Rev. James Leslie Bandall, tho new Bishop of New Zealand, is the son of the Archdeacon of Berkshire, and brother of the newly-appointed incumbent of All Saints' Church, Clifton. Mr. Randall was educated at the New College, Oxford, and became a fellow of that college He graduated B.A. 1851, M.A. 1855, and, therefore, is about thirty-eight years of ago. Ho was ordained by tho Bishop of Oxford as deacon in 1852, and priest in 1853, and was presented by the bishop in 1857 to the rectory of Nowbury. At tho l present time the incomo of the Bishopric o¿ New Zealand cannot bo stated. 'Appeals! have been made in England for

voluntary subscriptions.

Reforrinfr to the appointment of Sir John Young, late of Now South Wales, to the governorship of the dominion of Canada, the London 'Express says:-"This appointment rises far above the sphere of party politics, and the selection of Sir John Young will probably give satisfaction to tho thinkers of both sides. A trained official ; a politician whoso Parlia mentary'career dates from the year before the passing of the first Reform" Bill ; a statesman who has graduated in public business and in the art of governing mon in the sovcral offices of Lord of tho Treasury, Secretary to tho Treasury, Chief Secretary for Ireland, Lord High Commissioner of tho Ionian Islands, ' and finally as Governor of New

South Wales, Sir John Young is well qualified to discharge the duties of his now post Tho merest sciolist in politics knows how.delicate thoso duties are, and how much depends upon the tact, temper, and skill of tho representativo of tho English crown in Canada. A private despatch to the Home Government, from Sir John Young, while Lord High Commissioner, led, it has been generally believed, to the cession of the Ionian Islands, and there has been no reason to doubt the soundness of tho opinions ho then expressed. The new Governor assumes tho reigns of office when tho horizon is happily clear, and when nono of tho complex questions which agitato the Canadian mind from time to time have an aspect indicative of trouble. But the peculiarity of the politics of this great colony is, that the points in its internal policy, and tho rivalry between its different religious and national elements, are at least as difficult to deal with as its relations with tho parent and other states. Matters of in- tense significance, clouds scarcely bigger than a man's hand, may ariäe at any moment, and it is satisfactory to know that a statesman of the ability and experience of Sir John Young is equal to all such contingencies."

We seo by a paragraph ia a Batavian journal (tho Handehblad of October 21) that an adventurer, who is recognisable without difficulty as the pretended Count Attorns, whom many Sydney people havo too good reason to remember, had caused some littlo interest there, and had ultimately suc- ceeded in getting into custody. The para- graph states that some noise had been occasioned at Sourabaya by tho doings of an Austrian count, who arrived thero somo time ago in a yacht from Australia. Tho count first attracted notico by complaining that an English schooner which ho met with on tho way bad refused to answer his salute. Another version of this matter was given from another source, by the report made by the captain of an English schooner called tbo Diamond, which had arrived in Passoeroean with horses from Java, that ho had on his way fallen in with a Russian or Prussian yacht, which had fired first a blank cartridge, and afterwards a shot, at his vessel. However,

attention was soon drawn to the count, on account of other ciicumstances. A commercial firm in Batavia received a warning from Australia to look out for an Austrian count, who had in a questionable way obtained possession of ayaoht, and was sailing in it to Java. This warning was conjoined with tho reports of agreat many im- positions practised in the preceding year in Europe, particularly in Holland, by a person who represented himself to bo au Austrian count, and it was thought that tho tourist from Australia might be this person. These suspicions were telegraphed from Batavia to Sourabaya. Tho warning, however, came in some respects too late. The count had already discounted at the bank a bill of oxohange for a sum not stated, and it was subsequently re- marked that the paper in many respects re- sembled some of tho fraudulent paper ne- gotiated the year before by tbo pseudo count at Amsterdam. Although tho warning came too late for prevention, it carne in time, per. haps, to bring to a stop the career of this suc- cessful swindler, as it was thought proper under the circumstances to arrest and detain him pending inquiry. This was tho condition of tho much-toadied Sydney visitor at the dato of our latest intelligence-lying in custody, while inquiries wera being instituted pre- liminary to a criminal prosecution.

The London Money Market licvhw, speak- ing of the lately-established Colonial Society in the great capital of the world, says : " The Colonial Society has very definite and very useful objects. It intends to provide a place of meeting for gentlemen connected with the colonies and with British India. The present oflices uro in Lombard-street. It intends to establish a reading-room and library, as well as a museum, where all sorts of colonial information may be.obtained, and all sorts of colonial products exhibited. And, most desirable of all, 'it is intended to facilitate tbo interchango of oxporienco among persons connected with all the depen- dencies of Great Britain, which, to use the old quotation, am so wide that tho sun never sets on them. In all this no party or political questions are to enter, so that the society will be practical in its ends and purposes ; culti- vating union for common good, and aiming alone at progress. Wo are glad to observo that, with Lord Bury as the president, thoro is associated a most influential list of vice presidents, most of whom havo sorved the state in high office, and a council of men of eminent experience in colonial life and ad-

ministration."

From private communications we learn that tbo performances of Lewis's theatrical troop (from Melbourne) at Calcutta are pa- tronised in a manner which must please their friends in this colony. The individual mem- bers of the company have met with a general recognition of their talent and ability. The theatre is described as being chasto in deco- ration, compact in arrangement, and,, taken altogether, as large as tho Duke of Edin- burgh Theatre. The stage arrangements

are complete and effective. Thosooson com. menced on Monday evening, the 15th Octo- ber, by the curtain rising to exhibit the manager surrounded and supported by tho whole of tbo company, grouped upon tho stage. After singing tho "National Anlhcm," the opening piece, Tom Taylor's "Unequal Match," was presented, and in such a manner as to be most creditable and praisowortby. Mrs, Lewis (Rose Edouin) took the part of Hester Grazebrook, and won golden opinions. Miss Lizzio Naylor made her first appearance on this occasion, essaying the part of Mrs. Montressor, and from her conception and pourtrayal of the heartless lady of fashion was a success. Miss Julia Edouin as Bessy, Mrs. South as Lady Curlewis, Mr. Appleton as Sir Harry, John Edouin as Tofts, and last, though not least, Mr. W. B. Gill as the Blenkinsop, met with so much approval as to destroy any feeling of regret they might havo felt in leaving the Melbourne for tho Indian stago. "Leah,'1 " Casto," " Tho Colleen Bawn,"and tho ever- green " Green Bushes" have been produced, with corresponding results. The first bur- lesque, " Black-oyed Susan," was to be enacted on Saturday, the 31st October. Charles Edouin was leading in the orchestra, and tbo monetary results (averaging from £200 to £250 per nigh't) were such as to be most exhilarating to the manager.

Arrangements had been made at tho Land offico yesterday to receive a deputation re- presenting the Roman Catholic soction ol the community, consisting of Mr. O'sha- nassy, Mr. .Duffy, Mr. O'Grady, and Mr. Fitzgerald, with respect to the Eastorn-hill rcserve. The interviow with Mr. Grant was, however, postponed till Wednesday next.

A special meeting of tho Melbourno share- holders of the Band of Hope and Albion Consols Company was held yesterday, at the Criterion Hotel, to consider tho propriety oi otherwise of retaining Mr. Andrew J. Forbes in his present position as legal manager. Dr. M'Donald occupied the chair. Captain Dane, ono of the directors, addressed tho meeting at considerable length, and stated distinctly a number of charges ho had to bring against Mr. Forbes. The latter replied to the accusa- tions seriatim, and answered a variety of ques- tions touching tho management of tho minc and his conduct, put to him by tho share- holders. The business concluded with a vote of thanks being passed to Captain Dane, and one to Mr. Forbes being negatived.

The eagerness of the Lands department to sell city lands held moro or lees in trust, but not actually conveyed by the Crown, has recently developed itself in a new quarter. I Sixteen years ago, viz. in 1852, Mr. Latrobe,

then Lieutenant'Govornor of Victoria, granted

a piece ôî land in Albert-street, oppose the

Kitzroy-gardens, and also fronting the con tinuntion of Gore-street, for tho purposes of a Presbyterian church and school, which it was then intended to name after St. John. Thu school was built, but not tho church, and now Mr. Grant has announced his intention to sell the unoccupied and best half of the land. Tho trustees havo determined that as soon as the projected sale is advertised in tho Gazette they will move tho Supremo Court to grant an injunction against it.

We bave taken the trouble to inquire into a foolish rumour which found its way into print a day or two back, to tho injury of the reputation of tho colonial military store de- partment. It was said that the bedding used by the married soldiers of tho 14th Regiment and their families had been recently called in by the Victorian Government, to whom it

belonged, to the hardship of tho people con- |

cerned. It might have been easily discovered by thoBO who circulated the rumour that the said calling-in was a regimental affair, with which the colonial authorities had nothing whatever to do. The step was taken to correct some barrack misfeasance.

The discovery of the Almanda Silver Mine in South Australia seems likoly to ho at- tended very early with some of those im- portant consequonces which wero spoken of in this journal a few weeks ago as likely to follow the successof that company. Wepointcd out that they wero losing enormous quan- tities of silver from the defectiveness of their apparatus and appliances ; and wo havo since learned that by tho introduction of Wheeler's pans-although these aro better adapted for saung gold, and aro far from being perfect machines for tho use to which thoy havo been applied at Almanda-the per-centaso of silver obtained per ton of stone has largely in- creased. The quantity originally obtained per ton has now been brought np to considerably over forty ounces, and gold in considerable quantities has since boen found in the amalgam, although no trace of that mineral was obtainable in the first samples submitted to analysis. Wo now learn, from Adelaide that the Potosi Company, which is situated at some two or three miles distance ahovo the Almanda, have had somo excellent crushings. On tho other side, below the Almanda, a large section of ground has been taken up, and is known as the Makereth Silver Minc. It lies upon the creek known as Scott's, which, at a short dis- tance further down, falls into the Onkapa- ringa river. This mine lies east from the Almanda, close to its boundary, and some couple of months ago some valuablo silver lodes (which aro also supposed to be argen- tiferous) were discovered in it. Another por- tion of the ground, extending to ovor soventeen acres, lying immediately west of tho Almanda, and between it and the Potosi, has been taken up by tho Ballarat and Almanda Silver-mining Company, who propose to work it with a capital of £20.000, in shares of £2 each. The ground is stated to havo been proved very satisfactorily, and the project of working it with mixed South Australian and Victorian capital seems to have boen well received both in Ballarat and "under the verandah."

At the meeting of the Royal Society to be held this evoning, Mr. M'Gillivray will give an interesting description of anewAustialiau polyzoa, exemplifying the richness of our fauna in specimens of this order. Mr. M'Gil- livray has been long identified with the study of this particular branch of natural history, and his contributions in 1859 and 1800 to the Transactions of the society on the same sub- ject will not bo forgotten by the mem- bers. A short paper by Mr. Beilby is to bo read by Mr. Rawlings, as an addition to the various papers respecting earth- quakes already placed before the society. Members should bear in mind that nomi- nations to the various offices for 1869 aro now

being received by tho hon. secretary, and that it will be beneficial to tho working of the society that theso nominations should be made as early as possible. As soon as the alterations are completed the society will enter on almost a new course of action, and the gentlemen who will be entrusted with its direction will bo required to devote a little time to the working out of the various objects embraced by the plan of procedure. As a seat at the council is a position every member of the society ought to strive to obtain, so the nest duty to assisting in the work is the election of those members whoso leisure and inclination allow of the business being re- gularly and satisfactorily carried on.

Madame and tho Misses Carandini, we ob- serve, assisted by Mr. Sherwin, are about to give a few concerts in the suburban boroughs. They appear in the town-hall at St. Kilda on Friday evening.

We stated yesterday that two officers of the Customs' department, who had been dis- missed for not maintaining their policies of guaranty, had been reinstated after submit ing to a pecuniary fine. One of theso gentle- men-Mr. T. B. Alexander-has called upon us to state that ho was "not dismissed, was not fined, and had not allowed his guarantee policy to lapse." The information was supplied to us in a manner that seemed to leavo no room for doubt as to its accuracy ; and it is scarcely necessary to say that it did not come from Mr. Alexander. Our inform- ant appears to havo made a mistake in names ; but there is no doubt that tho proceedings of Mr. Vale have occasioned considerable excitement in the department in connexion with the non-maintenance of these guarantee policies-due, perhaps, to his fault and that of his colleagues in connexion with the dead- lock. We havo been informod, in fact from a source outsido'of the department, and since Mr. Alexander's statement with regard to himself was made-that officers who had been suspended for tho causo referred to had been allowed to return to duty upon loss of pay during the period of suspension ; and that in one case a fine of £2 was onforced to mark the irregularity of the proceeding,

Colonel Anderson made an official inspeC' tion of the Geelong troop of P.W.V.V. Light Hoiso yesterday afternoon, when twenty-one volunteers put in an appearanco, and went through various evolutions in a satisfactory manner. In the evening the colonel in- spected Nos. 1 and 2. Volunteer Artillery, when the former wero represented by 102 men, and the latter by 93, not inclusivo of tho band. After tho brigade-drill, in which the troops went through some new movoments, Colonel' Anderson complimented Major Heath ,and Captain Rothleigh upon the efficiency displayed by their respoctive companies.

Edward Goodliffe, recently an organist at Brighton Church, was yesterday committed for trial from the City Court, upon no less than four distinct charges. It seems almost incredible that a man in his position should have deliberately sacrificed everything in life from a mero lovo of rascality, and yet it would appear that no other construction can bo put upon his conduct. Had ho de- signed a way of wrecking himself com- pletely, ho could not have acted more successfully, nor could he have placed his character in a more repulsive light. Ho was living with Mr. Hughes, professor of music, was accustomed to do certain business for him, and waa treated with a confidence which fow men would have betrayed. While so esteemed by Mr. Hughes, GoodlifTo was robbing his friend secretly. Music which bad been composed for special occasions and upon special subjects, ho appropriated, and actually altered tho inscription upon several pieces of M.S., so that, instead of "Com- posed byiH. S. Hughes," it read, " Composed by E. Goodliffe." Other ' music was also stolen, valuable because not now to be obtuined through the ordinary channels, and Mr. Hughes found it necessary te communicate with the police ; still tho man continued to live with him as usual, until he

Í

was entrusted with a cheque for ten guineas, to bo paid into the Colonial Bank to the credit of Mr. Hughes. This cheque ho cashed at Messrs. Buckley and Nunn's, appropriating the proceeds, and for this offence-larceny as a bailee-ho was committed for trial. But in order to blind Mr. Hughes to his rascality, he forged a deposit receut for tho amount, for which crimo ho was riot proceeded against. The cheque in question was not, however, cashed for two or three days after it was given to prisoner, and it is presumed that the inter, val was occupied in imitating the writing.and form of it as closely as possible, for in a very short time afterwards a facsimile of the ori- ginal cheque was presented at tho Monster Clothing Company's establishment by pri- soner, in payment for goods, and roturnod from the bank marked, "This is a forgery." For this offence, which was fully proved, prisoner was also committed for trial. Moan whilo, Messrs. Buckley and Nunn had beon favoured with a second visit from Goodliffo, who, in payment for some trifling purchase, tendered a cheque for £5 lGs. 8d., in every respect, save in amount, precisely liko that previously cashed by them for him. This also v> a« paid into tho bank in the usual way of business, and returned to tho firm en- dorsed as a forgery. Each of tho cheques was said to be drawn in favour of Mr. Hughes by the Rev. Edward Nolan, and tho latter gen- tleman saw in a moment that the two latter were forgr-ries, when ho was shown thom. Upon this charge, as well as upon that of having stolen the music, which was found at his residence at Brighton, prisoner was also committed for trial, having throughout de- clined to ask questions or say a word by way

of defence.

A lecture on tho " Electric Telegraph" was delivered last evening at St. Georgo's-hall, by Mr. R. L. J. Ellery. The locturer, after an explanatory exposition of the most common phenomena of electric and galvanic action, gave a detailed account of its application to telegraphy-in tho early days of the science, on tho system of Cooke and Wheatstone, and in later times by the beautiful apparatus of Morse. His lecture was illustrated at-every step by experiments, and a telegraphic appa- ratus on an enlarged scale, and most simple form, was exhibited for tho purpose of elucidating tho principle of its con- struction. In the arrangement and mani- pulation of tho apparatus, Professor Wilson kindly lent his assistance. Mr. Ellery succeeded, in tho course of his lecture, in making a difficult and somowhat abstruso subject clear and interesting to tho audience, who must have takon away with thom a to- lerably complete and distinct idea of a matter of tho details and principles of which many of them, in all probability, previously knew but little. At the ond of tho locturo, Mr. Sturt proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Ellory, which was well responded to by tho audience. The proceeds of the lecture aro to bo applied to tho building fund of St. Mary's Church, Hotham.

Tho arguments in the administration suit of Carter v. Murphy, wore concluded in the Equity Court yesterday. The judgment of

the Court was reserved.

In the County Court yesterday there was a well-fought caso in Nally v. Lincker, to re- cover £40 odd in respect of half commission in obtaining the chartering of two vessels to take horses to India. The plaintiff intro- duced the charterer to tho defendant, but the latter denied any liability beyond a nominal sum which ho had promised to tho plaintiff for such assistanco as ho could ronder him. After hearing evidenco of a conflicting character, Judge Pohlman considered tho plaintiff was entitled to half commission on tho out voyage, as the defendant admittod that he had given half commission on several previous transactions. Verdict for plaintiff,

£18 17s. Od.

Tho curious mixture of good and evil pos- sible in individual character, was exemplified at the City Court yesterday, in a case where Mary Jane Sutherland, a girl of tho town, prosecuted a mon named James Reilly for robbing her. Reilly is a married man, and Sutherland has been extremely kind to his family, relieving the wants of the wife, and providing clothing for the children. Tho only claim to consideration Mrs. Reilly pos- sessed was that she had, in tho old country, been a servant in the family of one of Sutherland's relatives, and had proved a good and trustworthy porson. Taking advantago of the kindness thus shown to his wife, Reilly continually obtruded him- self upon Sutherland, and on tho morning of tho 18th found an opportunity of robbing hor of some £3 5s. 6d., and a gold watch and chain. She was asleep upon her bed when the motion of prisoner's hand in her dress pocket awoke her. She saw him secrete tho purse beneath the mattress, and having found thal hor watch was gono as well as her money, she gave him into custody. Ho was com- mitted for trial by tho Bench.

A perfect specimen of the colonial gamin carno before the Bench at the City Court yes- terday morning, in tho porson of Joseph Walsh, a rough-headod, unwashed, urchin of thirteen years, who had been caught in the very act of stealing a coat. Tho article was the property of a market-gardener, named Thomas Boyle, who, having occasion te attend to somo business a short distance from the Eastern Market, left his coat in his cart, which was standing there. On his return the coat was missing, and Walsh was pointed out as tho thief by a boj who saw him run off with it ; thero being found in his possession when arrested a paii of spectacles, which Boyle identified as his. They had been left in the pocket of his coat, together with a book which was not re covered. Sergeant Summerhayes, who took the lad into custody, had his oxporienco oi the precocity of colonial youth considorablj extended in tho operation. Tho lad swore al him in the most horrible manner, squared up to him in the most approved fightinj attitudes, challenged him to fight, with tin assurance that ho (Walsh) "could talco i out of him in about three minutes," ant used languago described by tho office: as worso than that of " any Pentridge man.' Very properly tho boy was taken to hi parents' house, but thoro Summerhayes wa in a still worse plight, for tho mothor as wol as tbo boy abused him roundly ; and whon i becamo absolutely necessary to bring him t< tho watchhouso, the young rascal behaved s( outrageously that it was almost necessary t< resort to violence in order to secure him When before the Court ho gavo a pretty far samplo of his powers ; during the wholo hoar ing ho kept up a most pitiful whimpering assuring the magistrates of his inna cenco, insisting that ho .had found thi spectacles in the markot, and had novor seer tho coat, and beseeching thom to "lot hin off this time and ho'd be good and nover di so any more." His father was brought inti court and spoken to, after which the magis trates decided to send him to a roformatorj for two years. Then the whimpor broke intt a bowl ; ho shouted to his father to take bin away, said his mother would go mad, clunf to tho seats, and kicked in tho most deter mined manner, and when removed was heard yelling for' half an hour afterwards. Bofore the Court roso, it was discovered that the young scamp had pledged the coat for half-a

crown.

David Thompson, lato second mate of th< cmigiant ship Conflict, died on Tuosdaj from tho effects of oxcossivo drinking. Hi was dismissed from his ship about a wool ago forjdrunkonncss, and sinco then has con tinucd in a stat» of intoxication. On Mon day lost delirium overtook him, and ho at tempted 'to leavo tho house at which lu lodged, while almost nakod. A man who oc cupied tho same room with him ondea voured to prevent him, but Thompsoi rushed past him, fell heavily upon tho floor

and ruptured a blood vessel in the brain. Ho was taken up insensible, and never spoke again.

On the 7th inst., a littlo fellow, fourteen years old, named Philip Rice, was admitted into the Melbourne Hospital, suffering from injuries about the head, which had been in- flicted by a cab running over him. Tho caso was a most disgraceful one. A cabman i desired to paso through the lloyal-park, at I the Flemington gateway, and asked Rice,

who was hording cows near, to open the gate for him. The boy ran to do so, but before he could possibly open the gato wide enough to bo out of danger himsolf, the cab- man lashed his horse, and literally ran tho lad down. The wheel passed over his head, and he shrieked as he fell, but not- withstanding there wero fivo men in the cab at the time, not one of them had sufficient humanity in him to stop and ascortain the extent of tho boy's hurt. For some time ho lay at the hospital in a very precarious con- dition, and though ho was well onough to leave some days ago, ho still continues an out-patient. Wo are glad to find that the man thought to be guilty of this pieco of cruelty has been arrested by the detective police, and will bo brought up at the City Court this morning. Ho gives the name of

Robert Condron.

Information has been received by tho polico that James Madden, messenger at ono of the Government offices, whoso absence from Mel- bourne since tho 16th had occasioned much anxiety to his friends, was found yesterday at

Footscray.

Edwin Berry, a labourer, was yesterday admitted to the Melbourne Hospital, suffer- ing from severe injuries to the back. Ho had been engaged on board the s.s. Gothonburg, and was descending the hold, when the ladder gave way. He fell a distance of twenty feet, alighting upon an iron bar, and hurt himself seriously.

A rifle match took placo at Maldon on Monday, between ton of the Melbourno and North Melbourno corps, and an equal number of the Maldon company of the Castlemaine Rifles. The match was a very closely-con- tested one, tho scores mado being-Mel- bourne, 445 ; Maldon, 446, the country corps thus winning by a singlo point.

The following gentlemen woro yesterday elected chairmen of the permanent com- mittees in connexion with tho Geolong Town Council for the ensuing year ¡-Public Works -Alderman Reeves ; Finance -Councillor Upton ; Market-Councillor Roborts ; Legis- lative-Alderman Garratt ; Water Supply Councillor Johnston.

The popular burlesque " King Arthur," was repeated last night at the Thoatre Royal. Mr. Akhurst has ingeniously seized upon tho "Spanish Intelligence," and converted it into pabulum for the admirers of burlesque comic songs. Tho Minister of Railways-who was present-cannot but feel gratified at the following additional verses to tho celebrated "Jones song"

" You'vo hoard that Isabel of Spain

In oxllo hor futo moans,

Through londnosa for a favourite

-Boporlod to bo Jones.

" Indeed, 'tis said, tho Spanish Quocn

Replied to the mobs' groan«,

Oh ! had I but those pantnlottcs

Onco mado for mo by Jones !"

"Hamlet" was again played at the Duko of Edinburgh Theatre last night to alargo audi- ence. Mr. Montgomery's impersonation of the chief charactor was received with, if pos- sible, increased satisfaction, and the cus- tomary calls at tho closo of tho different acts wero insisted on. Mrs. Steele's Queen can scarcely bo spoken of in sufficiently high terms. It is throughout a most finished per- formance, and nothing finer could bo wished for than her acting last night in the closet scene. Mr. Montgomery played his part in it with his usual power, and altogether the scene was magnificently performed. Mr. Steelo waa much more satisfactory as the King than on Monday night, though ho was again deficient in energy. To-night, "Romeo and Juliet" will bo produced for the first timo at this theatre, with Mr. Montgomery as Romeo, and Mrs. Steelo as Juliot.

Mr. Gilbert Roberts has received by the English mail a letter from Ada Cavendish, the well-known artiste, accepting an engage- ment at the Duke of Edinburgh Thoatre.

A soirée will bo held this evening, at half past six o'clock, in connexion with tho opon ing of tho new ball at Toorak.

A small manual on the subjectof "Baptism -for whom intended, and how to bo ad- ministered," has been issued by tho Rev. James Ballantyne. It is published by Mr, Robert Mackay, of Elizabeth-street.